Monday evening disaster mix
- The New York Times is reporting that the political reaction to Hurricane Katrina in Washington, which at first seemed to be favoring the expansion of social spending, is now arguably running against it. (The affirmative action exemption mentioned in the article is probably this one -- link via NLIHC.)
- The National Affordable Housing Management Association has posted a copy of a memo from HUD introducing its own sparsely publicized registration site for vacant units, www.katrinahudhousing.org.... but meanwhile, at the registration site itself, a brief note appears on a mainly blank page: "This site is currently not available. Vacant unit data should be reported to the local field office until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience."
- On the other hand, the FEMA Web site has actually given front-page space to its earlier press release promoting the DHROnline vacant unit registry service, which is the service working with www.hurricanehousing.net. A Spanish-language invitation to seek or offer vacant units has been posted among recent press releases. Wonder if this has anything to do with efforts by the National Multi Housing Association and National Apartment Association, which have issued voluble complaints (e.g. this one) about insufficient federal effort to match displaced tenants with available conventional vacant units.
- Also among recent FEMA press releases: a summary of the new tax relief bill's implications for those receiving or giving disaster assistance... a call for "small, local, and minority-owned" contractors... FEMA approvals of funds for hurricane victims' care in Southern states outside the disaster areas...
- NMHC has a number of new items up, including a note that the Department of Justice has relaxed some requirements for disaster-affected bankruptcy debtors.
- The National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders has posted a helpful group of housing-related disaster recovery links. The information on "katrinahudhousing.org" is apparently out of date (see above), but do look past that part for other materials. These include concise, useful summaries, with links, of what the major federal financial regulators have been doing to ease the recovery... a concerned letter sent back on Sep. 30 by Sen. Sarbanes about the adequacy of HUD's and FEMA's housing assistance plans and urging that FEMA funds be transferred to HUD.... News of Katrina recovery efforts by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, which include a $5 million grant program... A special $15 million Katrina recovery fund set up by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati... and more. Go look.
- The NYTimes profiles James Lee Witt, former FEMA director, in his more recent work as a contractor nicknamed "Master of Disaster."
- Jackson vs. Jackson on the future shape (and complexion) of New Orleans.
- The National Affordable Housing Management Association has posted a copy of a memo from HUD introducing its own sparsely publicized registration site for vacant units, www.katrinahudhousing.org.... but meanwhile, at the registration site itself, a brief note appears on a mainly blank page: "This site is currently not available. Vacant unit data should be reported to the local field office until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience."
- On the other hand, the FEMA Web site has actually given front-page space to its earlier press release promoting the DHROnline vacant unit registry service, which is the service working with www.hurricanehousing.net. A Spanish-language invitation to seek or offer vacant units has been posted among recent press releases. Wonder if this has anything to do with efforts by the National Multi Housing Association and National Apartment Association, which have issued voluble complaints (e.g. this one) about insufficient federal effort to match displaced tenants with available conventional vacant units.
- Also among recent FEMA press releases: a summary of the new tax relief bill's implications for those receiving or giving disaster assistance... a call for "small, local, and minority-owned" contractors... FEMA approvals of funds for hurricane victims' care in Southern states outside the disaster areas...
- NMHC has a number of new items up, including a note that the Department of Justice has relaxed some requirements for disaster-affected bankruptcy debtors.
- The National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders has posted a helpful group of housing-related disaster recovery links. The information on "katrinahudhousing.org" is apparently out of date (see above), but do look past that part for other materials. These include concise, useful summaries, with links, of what the major federal financial regulators have been doing to ease the recovery... a concerned letter sent back on Sep. 30 by Sen. Sarbanes about the adequacy of HUD's and FEMA's housing assistance plans and urging that FEMA funds be transferred to HUD.... News of Katrina recovery efforts by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, which include a $5 million grant program... A special $15 million Katrina recovery fund set up by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati... and more. Go look.
- The NYTimes profiles James Lee Witt, former FEMA director, in his more recent work as a contractor nicknamed "Master of Disaster."
- Jackson vs. Jackson on the future shape (and complexion) of New Orleans.
posted by Martha Bridegam at 8:48 PM
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